Bookrest



Dec. 11, 1923. 1,476,838

A. H. PRATT BOOKREST Filed Jan. 27 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 u 351i i fltbozwzq:

Dec. 11,1923. 1,476,831?,4

A. H. PRATT BOOKREST Filed Jan. 27. 1925 2 Shasta-Sheet 2 I Patented Dec. 11, 1923.

UNITED STATES .ALLEN H. PRATT, GF PHLOMATH, OREGON.

BOOKREST.

Application filed January 27, 1923.

To all 'whom 'it 'may concern:

Be it known that ALLEN H. PRATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philomath, in the county of Benton and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bookrests, of which the following is a specification.

rl`his invention relates to improvements in book rests and has as one of its primary objects to provide a book rest either attaehable to or constituting a permanent part of a book and adapted to support the book, when open, in a suitably inclined position to best serve the convenience of the reader.

Another important object of the invention is to pro-vide a book rest so constructed that it will assume a collapsed condition when the book to which it is applied is closed and will be caused to automatically assume an active or supporting condition when the book is opened.

Another object of the invention is to provide a book rest possessing the characteristics above outlined and simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture so that one of the rests may be supplied by publishers with the books published by them without materially increasing the cost of the book, or

may under similar advantageous conditions,

embody the principles of the inventions directly in the construction of a book cover.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of the book rest embodying the invention applied to a book, the view illustrating the manner in which the book is to be supported by the said rest;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device applied to a book, the book being closed Figure 3 is a perspective view of the device in open condition and detached from the book;

Figure lis a detail vertical sectional. view on the line l-ll- 0f Figure 8 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a modification of the 1nvention. y

The device embodying the invention comprises a pair of attaching members which are indicated in general by the numeral 1 and each of which is formed from a blank of straw board or other suitable inexpensive and relatively stiff material, the blank being Serial No. 615,255.

folded upon itself between opposite longitudinal edges, as indicated by the numeral 2, so as to provide spaced leaves 3 which are designed to receive between them one respective cover board of the book back to which the device is applied, the said attaching members l being fitted onto the upper portions of the said cover boards of the book back and frictionally retained in place thereon. The attaching members l are therefore removable from the book back although if found desirable or expedient they might be united thereto by adhesive or otherwise. In the drawings, the attaching members l are illustrated as embracing only the upper portions ofthe cover boards of the book back or binding but it will be understood that the said members may substantially completely enclose or cover the said boards. The spaced leaves 3 of each attaching member l are preferably connected at their outer or relatively remote end,- edges by a web or binding lso as to prevent their relative separation, and this binding may be united to the leaves in any manner found suitable or desirable, or under some other conditions it might be omitted altogether.

In addition to the attaching members l, the device comprises supporting easel members 5 each preferably consisting of a rectangular leaf of straw board or other relatively stitl' material which is connected at one longitudinal edge, by a web 6 of flexible material, to the respective attaching member l, the web 6 extending over the fold 2 at the juncture of the leaves 3 of the attaching member, and the said leaf 5 being foldable to collapsed condition against the leaf 3 which is outermost in the applied position of the device and when the book is closed, an d, on the other hand, being movable about the web 6 as a hinge, to assume an active or supporting position substantially in a plane at ri ght angles to the plane of the respective attaching member l. Movement of the supportingeasel members 5 to the supporting position referred to and illustrated is limited by any suitable means such, for example, as a web 7 which is secured along one longitudinal edge to the inner side of the leaf comprising the easel member and, along the other longitudinal edge, to the outer face of the outermost leaf 3 of the respective attaching member l, the web 7 being of relatively thin flexible material, as, for example, cloth, so tl at its presence will not interfere with collapsing` ot the supporting member 5.

fnt relw lrely adjacent ends of the leaves cornynising1 the supporting' easel members 5 are preilferably connected by a backing;Y web which is indicated by the numeral 8 and which may be oi cloth, leather, or any other flexible or semi-iiexibie. material and which may either be lefit plain or have printed thereon the title of the book to which the device is to be applied, or any other matter which it is desired t0 present to View.

ln the use oil the device, the attaching members i are fitted onto the cover boards et the kbook to be supported and with the backing web el extendingu across the upper portion oft the back ot the book. lllhen the book 'is close-d the backingv web 8 vill be drawn more or less tautly across its back, and the support-ing' easel members 5 will be vcaused to assume the collapsed position restsnugly beside the mit-er leaves oithe et Jcaching` members l. U pon opening;` the book the backing.;` web 8 will be slaekened and the leaves comp-rising,` the supporting' easel members will be permitted to automatically swing away from the respective attachin@ members` l and thus assume such a position that when the book is laid upon the sin'iace of a, table, it will be supported at a lesired angle oi inclination. ln closing' the book the backing` web 8 will be again brought under `tension to influence automatic: collapse of the supporting easel members 5 to position against lthe attaching` members 1 f lf desired the principles oi the invention may lind embodimentI directly in the back or cover of a book, las illustrated for example in Figure in which ligure the cover board is indicate-d by the numeral 9 and is recessed in its outerv face, as at 10, to normally accommodate, in a flush manner, a rest section ll hingedly connected at its upper edge to the upper edge of the board 9 by, a web portion l2, it being" understood that the members ll will in such modiication be associated with a connecting back web corresponding tothe web S and serving the same. purpose as said web 8. The modification shown in the said Figure 5 will also Vbe adopted where the rest device is formed separate 'from the book and where the attacliing` members are to b-e so formed asi to substantially completely' cover the cover boards of the bindinfr.

lt will be understood, of course, that in any event the component parts of the device may be proportioned to suit different sizes of books and in accordance with other conditions to be met with and that any materials suitable for the purpose may be employed in the manufacture of the said component parte; also that the said parts may es narcose be, to a. 2(greater or less extent, integrally connected or iorn'ied sepurably and suitably united.

lla-ving thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A book supimrt comprising attachinpr neans ior assemblage with the cover boards oiPA the book back, supporting` members swvingingly minable `with relation to the said attaching means, and mie-ns extending;` between and connecting the said members and designed to be slackened upon opening' oi' the book to swing' the supporting;1 meinbcrs to active position and Ito be rendered taut upon closingr of the book to swingH the said supporting members to collapsed position against the said back.

L book support aJLtacliabl-e to the back ot a bool: and, conuirising attaching memgn-ed -to be iitted to the cover boards of the s supporting;r members swiugl'- ingly connected the *attaching memwith, bers whereby to be capable oi assuming* a collapsed position resting against the at- -tachino membersv and close to `the rover boards of the book back and `to assume :1 position extendi j at an angle to said cover boards to supportthe. book, and a relatively flexible member extending between and connccitinpthe. said suppo-rtiin;v members und designed to be rendered taut upon closing ot the book through being stretched across the web ot the back of che book and thereby constituting means for automatically collapsing; the impportinnmembers upon closing of the book and automaticnlly moving said members to supportingr position upon opening oi the. book.

3. book support attachable to the back of a. book and comprising' attaching members designed to be fitted :to the cover boards ot' the said back, supporting members swingingly connected with the attac-hing members whereby to be capable ot assuming a collapsed position resting against the attaching members and close to the cover boards of the book back and to assume a position ex` tendingat an angle to said cover boards to supportI the book, and `a relatively llexible member extending between and connecting the said supporting members and designed to be rendered taut upon closing` ot the book -tln'ougli being); stretched across the web of the back of the book and thereby' constituting means 'for automatically ollupsinpf the supportinpmembers upon closinpr of the book and automatically moving` said members to supporting position upon opening of the book, and means limiting` the swinging movement oi the supporting members to aet-ive position.

In testimony whereof lf afiix my signature.

ALLEN H. PRATT. [n 5.] 

